Lalitpur, March 17

Chief Executive Officer of the National Reconstruction Authority Govinda Raj Pokharel said coordination among all governmental as well as non-governmental sectors could help expedite post-quake reconstruction in the country.

Speaking at a programme organised to distribute laptops to quake-damaged schools in Lalitpur, he said the general public should not always depend on the government for infrastructure development. He added that Singhadurbar only created a scenario to lead the reconstruction smoothly and coordination was needed among citizens at the local level to expedite reconstruction work.

During the program, Shanti Education Initiative Nepal distributed laptops to 15 schools of Lalitpur, including Bageshwori Secondary School, Bhagdol; Chhampi Secondary School, Champi; Kalidevi Secondary School, Pyutar; Bajrabarahi Secondary School, Chapagaun; Kitini Secondary School, Godavari; and Tika Secondary School, Sanepa, among others.

Similarly, District Education Officer Dilnath Puri was also offered a laptop. Speaking on the occasion, Puri said, “The devastating earthquakes of 2015 ravaged Lalitpur district while scores of schools were damaged. Though it has been long since the Gorkha earthquake of 2015, schoolchildren are still forced to take classes in the open and under temporary tents.”

The entire education system has hit a snag due to slow progress on reconstruction

— Dilnath Puri, District Education Officer

Emphasising that the whole education system was shaken by the quake, Puri added: “The entire education system has hit a snag due to sloppy reconstruction work.”

“Though we are working hard to make the classes smart learning centres, the lack of physical infrastructures and good school environment are some of our major hurdles,” shared Puri.

Stating that political instability in the country had hit the education sector hard, Chief District Officer of Lalitpur Deepak Kafle said, “Strikes and bandhs have a negative impact not only on children’s education but also on their psychology. The practice of closing down educational institutions in the name of strike should be highly discouraged.”